DİSK-AR announces November 2023 food inflation: Food inflation for the poorest reached 105.5 percent

The Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) had announced food inflation for the November 2023 period as 67.2 percent.

However, DİSK-AR stated that TÜİK's inflation data does not reflect actual inflation, and announced that according to its own calculations, food inflation for the lowest income group was 105.5 percent, while food inflation for the highest income group was 48.9 percent.

In DİSK-AR's statement, it was noted that food inflation for the lowest income group was 56.6 percent higher than that of the highest income group. It was stated that this situation reveals that inflation is felt significantly differently across income groups.

The statement noted that one reason why TÜİK's inflation data does not reflect reality is that TÜİK does not disclose its list of item prices. It was emphasized that despite a lawsuit filed and won by DİSK, TÜİK is not implementing the court decision and is not disclosing the item price list.

DİSK-AR made the following recommendations to combat inflation:

An independent institution should be established for the monitoring and control of food prices.

Protective measures should be taken against the rise in food prices.

Food aid should be provided to low-income families.

FOOD PRICES SURPASSED CPI BY 746 POINTS IN NOVEMBER

CPI and food price indices continue to rise. The CPI index, which was 122 in 2005, rose to 1,807 in November 2023. The food price index, which was 122 in 2005, rose to 2,553 in 2023. Thus, the CPI has increased 18.1 times since 2003 and 14.8 times since 2005; food prices have increased 25.5 times since 2003 and 20.9 times since 2005. It was stated that the annual inflation rate, which was 7.6 percent in 2005, reached 62 percent in 2023, while annual food inflation, which was 5.7 percent in 2005, rose to 67.2 percent in 2023.

On the other hand, the gap between food inflation and general inflation has begun to widen in recent years. It was noted that the food price index, which followed the same trend as the CPI in November 2005, surpassed the CPI by 746 points (41.3 percent) in November 2023.

News Source: 12punto